The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 155

Section CLV. ( Hidimva-badha Parva continued. )

Vaisampayana said, "Hidimva, the chief of the Rakshasas, seeing that his sister returned not soon enough, then alighted from the tree and proceeded quickly to where the Pandavas were. Of red eyes and strong arms and the hair of his head standing erect, of large open mouth and body like unto a mass of dark clouds, and teeth long and sharp-pointed, he was terrible to behold. And Hidimvā, beholding her brother of frightful visage alight from the tree, became very much alarmed, and addressing Bhima said, 'The wicked cannibal is coming hither in wrath! I entreat thee, with thy brothers do as I bid thee! O thou of great courage, endued as I am with the powers of a Rakshasa I am capable of going whithersoever I like. Mount ye on my hips, I will carry ye all through the skies! And, O thou chastiser of all foes, awaken these and thy mother sleeping in comfort. Taking them all on my person I will convey ye through the skies.'

"Bhima then said, 'O thou of fair hips, fear not anything. I am sure that as long as I am here, there is no Rakshasa capable of injuring any of these. O thou of slender waist, I will slay this (cannibal) in thy very sight! This worst of Rakshasas, O timid one, is no worthy antagonist of mine. Neither can all the Rakshasas together bear the strength of my arms. Behold these strong arms of mine, each like unto the trunk of an elephant! Behold also these thighs of mine like unto iron maces and this broad and adamantine chest! O thou beautiful one, thou shalt today behold my prowess like unto that of Indra. O thou of fair hips, contemn me not thinking that I am a man!'

"Hidimvā replied, saying, 'O thou tiger among men, O thou of the beauty of a celestial, I do not certainly hold thee in contempt! But I have seen the prowess that Rakshasas exert upon men.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Then, O Bharata, the wrathful Rakshasa eating human flesh heard those words of Bhima who had been talking in that way. And Hidimva beheld his sister disguised in human form, her head decked with garlands of flowers and her face like the full moon and her eyebrows and nose and eyes and ringlets all of the handsomest description, and her nails and complexion of the most delicate hue, and herself wearing every kind of ornament and attired in fine transparent robes. And the canni- bal, beholding her in that charming human form, suspected that she was desirous of carnal intercourse and became indignant. And, O thou best of the Kurus, becoming angry with his sister, the Rakshasa expanded his eyes and addressing her said, 'What senseless creature wishes to throw obstacles in my path now that I am so hungry? Hast thou become so senseless, O Hidimvā, that thou fearest not my wrath? Fie on thee, unchaste woman! Thou art even now desirous of carnal intercourse and solicitous of doing me an injury! Thou art ready to sacrifice the good name and honor of all the Rakshasas thy ancestors! Those with whose aid thou wouldst do me this great injury, I will, even now, slay along with thee!' Addressing his sister thus, Hidimva, with eyes red in anger and teeth pressing against teeth, ran at her for killing her then and there. But beholding him to rush at his sister, Bhima that foremost of smiters endued with great energy rebuked him and said, 'Stop,' 'Stop,'"

Vaisampayana continued, "And Bhima beholding the Rakshasa angry with his sister, smiled (in derision), and addressing him said, 'O Hidimva, what need is there for thee to awaken these persons sleeping so comfortably. O thou wicked cannibal, approach me first without loss of time! Smite me first,—it behoveth thee not to kill a woman, especially when she has been sinned against instead of sinning! This girl is scarcely responsible for her act in desiring intercourse with me! She hath in this been moved by the deity of desire that pervadeth every living form Thou wicked wretch and the most infamous of Rakshasas thy sister came here at thy command! Beholding my person she desireth me. In that the timid girl doth no injury to thee! It is the deity of desire that both offended. It behoveth thee not to injure her for his offence! O wicked wretch, thou shall not slay a woman when I am here! Come with me, thou cannibal, and fight with myself singly! Singly shall I send thee today to the abode of Yama! O Pakshasa, let thy head today, pressed by my might, be pounded to pieces, as if pressed by the tread of a mighty elephant. Slain by me on the field of battle, let herons and hawks and jackals tear in glee thy limbs today on the ground! In a moment I shall today make this forest destitute of Rakshasas,—this forest which had so long been polluted by thee the devourer of human beings. Thy sister, O Rakshasa, shall today behold thyself, huge though thou art like a mountain, repeatedly dragged like a huge elephant by a lion. O thou worst of Rakshasas, thyself slain by me, men ranging these woods will henceforth do so safely and without fear!'

"Hearing these words, Hidimva said, 'What need there, O man, of this thy vaunt and this thy boast! Accomplish it all first, and then by thy deed mayst thou vaunt. Therefore delay thou not. Thou knowest thyself to be strong and endued with prowess. Thou shalt rightly estimate thy strength today in thy encounter with me. Until that I will not slay these (thy brothers), let them sleep comfortably. But I will, fool as thou art and the utterer of evil speeches, slay thee first! And drinking the blood of thy body I will slay these also, and then, last of all, this (sister of mine) that hath done me an injury.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Saying this, the cannibal extending his arms ran in wrath towards Bhima-sena that chastiser of all foes. Then Bhima of terrible prowess quickly seized, as if in sport, with great force the extended arms of the Rakshasa who had rushed at him. Then seizing the struggling Rakshasa with violence, Bhima with violence, Bhima dragged him from that spot full thirtytwo cubits, like a lion dragging any little animal. Then the Rakshasa, thus made to feel the weight of Bhima's strength, became very angry and clasping the Pandava sent forth a terrible yell. The mighty Bhima then dragged with force the Rakshasa to a further distance lest his yells should awake his brothers sleeping in comfort. Clasping and dragging each other with great force, both Hidimva and Bhima-sena put forth their prowess. Fighting like two full-grown elephants mad with anger, they then began to break down the trees and tear the creepers that grew around. And at those sounds, those tigers among men (the sleeping Pandavas) woke up with their mother, and saw Hidimvā sitting before them."

Thus ends the hundred and fifty-fifth Section in the Hidimva-badha of the Adi Parva.